Dear Class of 2018 Students and Families,

What an exciting and busy time of year this is for those who are nearing the end of their high school journey!  We’re excited for you as you navigate these final weeks of school.  This message is intended to provide you with information about the upcoming school events for seniors.  As the spring progresses, we will continue to send out similar information via School Messenger, Facebook, and Twitter.  We also invite you to sign up for the Class of 2018 Remind Text Service by texting @salem2018 to the phone number 81010.  If, after reading this letter, you have additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Requesting Final Transcript

To request your final transcript, you need to:

1. Log in to Naviance Student (Family Connection) using your parent portal login. The link is on the SHS website under student resources.
2. Click on “Colleges I’m Applying To.”
3. For your final college choice, click the edit button (pencil) and update the information.
4. At the bottom of the page, click “Update Applications.”
5. Click “Request Transcripts” and final transcript.

If you have any problems, please see your counselor or Mrs. Chitwood.

Senior Survey

Help us properly recognize you in the graduation program and keep our records up-to-date:

1. Log in to Naviance Student.  Click the “About Me” tab.
2. Complete the survey called “Post High School Plans/Scholarships Class of 2018.” Submit when completed. Once the survey is submitted no additional information can be added.
3. The survey must be completed by June 5th.  The scholarship information from this survey will be used for the graduation program.

 

Senior Day, June 1, 2018

Honors Reception and Assembly – 7:30 am – SHS Auditorium

• This event is only for those graduates with an overall GPA of 3.0 or higher.
• Students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher will receive an invitation to this event.
• Continental breakfast reception, catered by SHS Culinary Arts students, served in the cafeteria area
• After the reception, honor graduates and their parents will go to the auditorium where the graduates will be called up to the stage individually for recognition.
• Students should dress professionally for this event.
• Parents and family members are invited to attend this event.

Senior Awards Assembly – 9:00 am – SHS Auditorium

• • This annual event will follow the Honors Reception and Assembly and the entire senior class will attend.  
  • Many, but not all, seniors will be recognized at this event through the awarding of certain scholarships as well as awards from within the school.
  • Please email Drew Barrett (dbarrett@salem.k12.va.us) with any outside scholarships or awards you have received so we can properly recognize you.  Do not assume we already know about these scholarships and awards.
  • On a similar note, please email Mr. Barrett with your final college or military choice for next year so we can recognize you on the window of the counseling office.
  • Students who are being recognized have been, or will be, notified.
  • Parents of seniors receiving awards are notified and parents and family members are invited to attend.

 

Senior Twister Game – 11:00 am – SHS Gymnasium

• Students will compete in Twister (teams of 4) & other games.  Lunch will also be provided.
• Students competing in Twister are invited to compete in a costume contest with their team of 4. Dress up in an appropriate theme to be eligible for prizes! If you need to check on the appropriateness of a costume, see Mrs. Dyer or Mrs. Cook ahead of time.
• Seniors wishing to compete in the annual Twister competition must sign up at lunches between May 14-21, 2018.  ($5.00 per person)
• Seniors wishing to attend the Twister event as a spectator, rather than as a contestant, must also sign up at lunches between May 14-21, 2018. ($2.00 per person)

Early Dismissal for Seniors – after Twister

• When the Senior Twister Game and related activities are finished, all seniors will be released early from school.  This will probably be around 1:00 pm.

 

Community Scholarship Celebration, June 5, 2018

Community Scholarship Celebration – 5:15 pm – SHS Cafeteria/Auditorium

• Students receiving scholarships from the Salem Educational Foundation, the Salem Sports Foundation, and the Chance Crawford Committee, will be recognized and will receive those scholarships.
• Students who will be attending this event will be notified.
• If you have been notified that you will be receiving a scholarship at this event, please make sure you have sent your RSVP to Mrs. Chitwood in our Guidance Office by Tuesday May 29th.
• If you have been invited to this event, your attendance is expected and essential.
• Parents and family members are also invited to attend this event.
• Graduates will wear their caps and gowns to this event.
• Hors d’oeuvres prepared by SHS Culinary Arts students will be served in the cafeteria at 5:15 pm.
• The ceremony begins promptly at 6:00 pm in the auditorium. Graduates will sit together on the right-hand side of the auditorium.
• Following the ceremony there will be a dessert catered by SHS Culinary Art students and an opportunity for pictures taken by a professional photographer.

 

Turning in Chromebooks

Chromebooks Must Be Turned In Prior to Graduation

• • Chromebook collection will take place all day in the library from Friday, June 1, until Friday, June 8.
  • As soon as you no longer need the Chromebook for school purposes, take it to the library.
  • Students will be asked to demonstrate that the Chromebook still works.
  • Chromebooks that are lost or damaged beyond the replacement period must be paid for prior to students being allowed to walk in graduation.
  • Students who do not turn in their Chromebook prior to graduation will not be allowed to participate in the graduation ceremony.

 

Baccalaureate Service, June 10, 2018

Student-Run Service for Graduates – 6:00 pm – Fellowship Community Church

• The student leadership of the SHS Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) Club annually invites graduating seniors and their families to a Baccalaureate service run by student members of the FCA.
• This year’s service will be held at 6:00 pm at Fellowship Community Church.
• This is an informal family event and seniors should not wear their caps and gowns.
• A reception will be held immediately following the service. To determine how much food to prepare, the student leadership of the FCA requests seniors to RSVP for the service.  You can RSVP at the following link: https://goo.gl/forms/1nC41zpOnQSjD9Gq2, which will also be placed on the SHS website.  

 

Graduation Day, June 14, 2018

Senior Breakfast – 8:00 am – SHS Cafeteria

• On graduation day, an honorary breakfast will be held for the Class of 2017 and faculty at 8:00 am in the cafeteria. Dress for the breakfast is casual.  
• A senior group picture will be taken in the gym after the breakfast before going to graduation practice.

Graduation Practice – after the Senior Breakfast – Salem Civic Center

• This is a mandatory event for all students who will be participating in our commencement exercises.  
• Dress for graduation practice is casual.  You do not need your cap and gown.
• Graduates will ride buses, leaving from SHS at 8:30 am, to the Salem Civic Center following the Senior Breakfast.
• Students will not be allowed to drive themselves to or from Graduation Practice.  All students must ride the bus both ways.
• Seniors will be dismissed from school after arriving back at SHS around 11:30.

Commencement Exercises – June 14 – 2:00 pm – Salem Civic Center

• If you do not intend to participate in this year’s commencement exercises, please inform Mrs. Chitwood in our Guidance Office immediately.

Attire, Caps, and Gowns

• Graduates must wear either dress pants with a dress shirt and tie or a dress that does not hang below the gown.  Dress shoes are required. Athletic shoes are not permitted.
• The graduation cap should be parallel to the floor with the larger point of the crown to the back. Tassels should be to the right until Mr. Habeeb declares you graduates. Graduates will be allowed to appropriately decorate their graduation caps.
• Your gown should be pressed with a slightly warm iron.
• If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Dyer (adyer@salem.k12.va.us) or Mrs. Cook (bcook@salem.k12.va.us).

The Ceremony

• Preceding the graduation ceremony, students will be lining up in the Civic Center Annex.  Parents can drop them off on either side of the Civic Center no later than 1:30 pm, and students can enter directly into the Annex.  The Annex is located behind the main Civic Center floor, closer to Memorial Stadium.
• As students’ names are called at graduation, their picture will be projected on a large screen behind the stage.  Along with the picture, we will project 2 or 3 items about the student.  We have asked students to tell us what they would like to have shared.  We are looking for school involvement, athletic teams and clubs, honors received, outside of school activities (such as church youth groups, Young Life, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, etc.), and what students will be doing next year (workforce, military, college, etc).  If you have not yet shared your 2 or 3 facts with us, please do so immediately by taking the following survey: https://goo.gl/forms/rQNENRSkdJZMMmZn2. This link will also be placed on the school website. No additions will be made after graduation practice.
• Salem High School graduates do not spray silly string or throw celebratory objects at graduation. Many years ago, we were the only school of the 6 that use the Civic Center whose graduates made “celebratory messes.”  This is unfair to the Civic Center staff who must get the Civic Center cleaned up for other purposes.  We successfully ended this practice many years ago.

Graduation Memories

• Photography is provided by Lifetouch. Families can preorder a Senior Class picture and/or a picture of the student receiving their diploma on stage. Lifetouch will be sending an order form to families. If you did not receive one, or would like additional ordering information, please contact them at 540-389-9155.
• A video of the graduation ceremony can be ordered through Video Ventures. An order form is included with this mailing. If you would like additional information, please contact them at 540-537-1418.

We are so excited to be a part of this important time in your life!  Please let us know if you have questions.

Thank you,
Scott Habeeb, Anna Dyer, and Beth Cook